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The Raven
[Blu-ray]
Blu-ray A - America - Twentieth Century Fox Home Entertainment Review written by and copyright: Anthony Arrigo (2nd March 2013). |
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The Film
 Historical and biographical films can be a tricky lot to get right when they’re being filmed for a major Hollywood picture. But, if you take a known figure and insert them into a fabricated tale, then you’re essentially given carte blanche to do whatever you choose. “The Raven” (2012) is one such film, using Edgar Allan Poe as less of a narrative element and more as a tool used in solving a series of grisly murders occurring in Baltimore some time before his curious death. I think the best way I can describe the film is that it’s a bit like the ABC show “Castle” (2009-present) in that a killer is using literary works (in this case those of Poe) as inspiration for his crimes. At first, Poe is considered a suspect, but once everyone realizes there’s no possible way he could be a killer, detectives work with him in hopes that they can determine a pattern and end the bloodshed. On paper this actually sounds like a film that could work. Who doesn’t know about Poe? Even those who haven’t read any of his works (unlikely since I’m sure that "The Raven" is required reading for schools, or at least it was) know who the man was, and most would immediately associate his name with things both grim and macabre. Interesting as the premise may sound, however, the film we’ve been given winds up an interminable bore with fleeting glimpses of intrigue but not enough to sustain an entire picture. When inspector Emmett Fields (Luke Evans) discovers a dead prostitute killed in the same manner as someone in an Edgar Allan Poe (John Cusack) tale, he initially brings the writer in on the chance he may be a suspect. Poe, who at this point in his life is a boorish drunk wavering between belligerence and intelligence, scoffs at the accusation and offers up some of his own thoughts on who might be behind the slayings. After corroborating with some of Poe’s known associates and learning that it’s highly unlikely he’s killed anything other than a bottle of Brandy, the two form a tenuous relationship. The hope is that since Poe knows his own stories intimately, he may have some inclination as to where the killer might strike next. Now, faced with the horrors of his literary works come to life in the most grisly ways possible, he has to emerge from his constant drunken haze to help the police before more people are killed – including those who mean most the him. The biggest problem I had with “The Raven” is that, quite simply put, it’s boring. None of the characters feel developed enough for the audience to care about what happens to them, Poe included. I’ll give Cusack credit for doing a decent job with the role, but does he ever really feel like Poe? No. He’s seemingly a lost cause when we meet him – drunk, destitute, and desperate to have any of his work published. Gone are his glory days of bloody tales being reprinted in newspapers and publications; now he’s reduced to begging the editor of his local paper just to print a review he wrote. Any money he does earn goes right back to the bar. Somehow, despite all of this, he manages to secure himself a woman – Emily (Alice Eve) – who is clearly too well-off and attractive for him at this stage of life. There’s just not much to like about the man. The murders give him a stronger sense of purpose that he’s been missing, allowing him to briefly put down the bottle and focus on doing some good. Still, as the focus of the film we should feel like we really know Poe. Not just the commonplace facts and secondhand stories the public is aware of, but on a more intimate level. Make us care for this man so we can gain some insight into his fragile mind. Instead, we just get an offensive drunk who stumbles about for half the film. He’s not Sherlock Holmes, yet they turn him into a clone of his once the detective work starts getting thick. I wasn’t able to buy it. The film’s writers, Ben Livingston and Hannah Shakespeare, have a little fun with history by tying in the murders and subsequent investigation into Poe’s final days on this planet. Poe died under mysterious circumstances in 1849, found incoherent and muttering on the streets of Baltimore. His final intelligible words were the name “Reynolds”, which he is said to have called out before his death. This name, of course, is tied in with the film. The script posits that Poe was the victim of the killer he was trying to capture. Poisoned, he was only able to make it as far as a park bench, which is where he was found in a distressed state. There’s no reason why writers can’t have a little fun with history, and the ending of this film does perfectly gibe with the accounts that are verified regarding Poe’s final days. The issue is that everything leading up to those days plays like standard boilerplate thrillers, only this one has a famous face playing detective. The murders are rarely shown, rather we only get to experience the aftermath, so the material around the murders has to be strong. It isn’t, and the film suffers as a result because you don’t care too much about any of the characters. I would’ve been more open to see this made as a buddy cop comedy thriller than the slow trudge through cobblestone streets this was. Revisionist history can be fun when done right (looking at you, Tarantino); this got it wrong.
Video
Fox’s 2.40:1 1080p 24/fps AVC MPEG-4 encoded picture for “The Raven” is most likely a perfect reproduction of the source materials. They very rarely do a disservice to their newer films on Blu-ray. Still, the picture does contain a few deficiencies. Being a period piece, the lighting choices veer closer to natural light which can leave the image slightly dark and soft in focus. It’s not such a problem when we have numerous candles to brighten a room, but anything down in the tunnels or sewers (or at night, which is a lot of the film) tends to get obscured quickly. There are some great details to be seen when lighting permits, but they are instantly lost once the cloak of night takes hold. Aesthetically, it has a cold & bleak appearance that only warms partially under the glow of candlelight. I can’t see any indication that DNR or other post-production processing has been applied. It’s not perfect by any means, but I’d call this a faithful representation of what viewers in theaters saw as well.
Audio
The English DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 surround sound track mixed at 48kHz/24-bit was a bit ho-hum to my ears. The score sounded has a very generic action/thriller quality to it, like it was commissioned on the fly just to try giving some oomph to a leaden picture. Rear speakers weren’t engaged often enough for me to take notice; they take a more passive role here by amping up subtle sound cues and occasionally filling out the sound spectrum with some of the score. I noticed that many actors seemed to favor whispering their dialogue loudly; leaving me wondering what had been said more than a few times because the mix simply wasn’t loud enough for their lines. Some minor bursts of action elicited more of a response from the track, but it sounded more like going through the motions of getting our adrenaline pumping rather than earned thrills. Subtitles are included in English for the hearing impaired and Spanish.
Extras
Unfortunately – and expectedly – the majority of the bonus features focus on the film and not Poe himself. A nice documentary or something on the man would have made this package a little more attractive. Ah, well… DISC ONE: BLU-RAY An audio commentary with director James McTeigue and producers Marc D. Evans, Trevor Macy and Aaron Ryder is provided. The groups talks about weaving stories of Poe’s literary works and his life in with fiction. There’s also discussion about the wonders of location magic, since the film was not shot in Baltimore; in fact, it wasn’t even shot in America. A handful of deleted & extended scenes (1080p) are included: - “Poetry Reading” runs for 1 minute and 57 seconds, more of Poe’s readings to a room of women. - “The Red Mask” runs for 38 seconds, Fields finds some interesting evidence. - “Emily’s Recital” runs for 42 seconds, Poe watches from afar. - “Fields Check on Poe” runs for 4 minutes and 29 seconds, the two have a late night chat. - “Poe Brings Carl to Fields’” runs for 1 minute and 30 seconds, a surprise visit. - “Doctor Clements and Fields” runs for 1 minute and 2 seconds, mourning a dead cop. “The Raven Guts: Bringing Death to Life” (1080/60p) is a featurette that runs for 13 minutes and 32 seconds. Typical EPK stuff, the cast & crew discuss the film’s story, their respective roles, and talk a little about the locations used in the shoot. “The Madness, Misery, and Mystery of Edgar Allan Poe” (1080/60p) is a featurette that runs for 9 minutes and 50 seconds. Too short, but this brief biography provides a good overview of Poe’s life and final days. “Behind the Beauty and Horror” (1080/60p) is a featurette that runs for 2 minutes and 18 seconds. This plays like a shorter version of the earlier EPK-style piece. “The Raven Presents John Cusack and James McTeigue” (1080/60p) is an interview that runs for 2 minutes and 45 seconds. The film’s star and its director sit down for a very short chat about the film they’re making. “Music for The Raven: The Team” (1080/60p) is a featurette that runs for 5 minutes and 10 seconds. The people who crafted the score discuss their approach to the material, which is a blend of electronic and classical music. The film’s theatrical trailer (1080p) runs for 1 minute and 15 seconds. Bonus trailers (1080p) are shown for the following: - “House at the End of the Street” runs for 1 minute and 59 seconds. - “Blu-ray promo” runs for 1 minute and 28 seconds. - “Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter” runs for 1 minute and 57 seconds. DISC TWO: DVD This is a DVD copy of the feature film. The package also included an insert with instructions on how to redeem the digital copy.
Packaging
The 2-disc set comes housed in a Blu-ray keep case with each disc housed on a hub opposite the other. A slip-cover with artwork matching the cover art is included on initial pressings.
Overall
Watched it once… nevermore. Sorry, I had to work that in somewhere.
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